April 14, 2012, Saturday - Taste Twin Cities Food Tours Heart of Minneapolis Tour

Time: 2:30pm - 5:30pm

Location: Begins at LaSalle Plaza (800 LaSalle Plaza), located on Hennepin Avenue between 8th & 9th Street; ends at Metro Building (80 9th Street South).

Weave your way through the skyscrapers of downtown Minneapolis on a food adventure!  Enjoy VIP service at some of the newest and hottest award winning restaurants and learn the art of local beer making.  Visit quaint eateries that have pride in local ownership, including a favorite since 1932.  You'll leave the tour with a tasty experience of the best food finds Minneapolis has to offer while learning the history of downtown and soaking in the local culture.
 
Sites you will enjoy:  Broadway Theatre District, Mary Tyler Moore Statue, the tallest building in Minneapolis, a building modeled after the Washington Monument, the largest structure ever moved on rubber-wheeled dollies and much more...

Reservations.

Follow Taste Twin Cities on Facebook and Twitter.

April 14, 2012, Saturday - Live Music at Crooked Pint

Time: 9:00pm  $5 Cover

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Love Songs From Angry Men - All Minnesota musicians review.

April 14, 2012, Saturday - Flavor of the Infinite: Food Poems at The Loft

Time:  9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Location:  Open Book, Loft Classroom, 1011 Washington Avenue South

Why has food proved such a rich and enduring subject for poetry? Salt, Pablo Neruda observes, is “dust of the sea,” so even the “least, / tiniest wave / from the saltshaker” kisses us with the “flavor of the infinite.” Poems are often written out of hunger—not physical hunger but the desire to consume (and thereby understand) the world around us. In this class we’ll read a diverse array of food poems and undertake exercises that will engage not just our sensory faculties but our sense of nonsense too.

Teaching Artist: Katharine Rauk
 
Katharine Rauk received her MFA in poetry from the Bennington Writing Seminars. She has poems published or forthcoming in many national literary journals, such as Harvard Review, Georgetown Review, Cream City Review, Zone 3, and others. Her chapbook, Basil, will be published by Black Lawrence Press in 2011. She has taught literature and writing at Butler University, Liaoning Institute of Technology, and North Hennepin Community College

April 14, 2012, Saturday - International Cartoonist Conspiracy Meet-up at MCBA

Time: Noon – 4:00pm

Location:  Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Avenue South

International Cartoonist Conspiracy Meet-up

Hosted by the Minneapolis cell of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy.  Draw and chat with your fellow cartoonists at this monthly open studio meet-up. Location within MCBA's studios may vary (you can always check in at The Shop). For more info, visit the Cartoonist Conspiracy blog.

Free and open to the public. No need to pre-register, just drop in! All skill levels welcome.

April 14, 2012, Saturday - Paint it Green: Full Circle at Central Library

Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Location: Central Library, Childrens Library, 300 Nicollet Mall

Paint It Green: Full Circle

Registration required, begins Mar 17. Register online or call 612-543-8000.

K-grade 6. Turn your school locker or refrigerator into a artwork! Use discarded CDs, bottle caps, magnet strips, fun photos, beads or other objects, and create a magnetic expression of who you are. Materials provided.

This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Presented in collaboration with ArtStart.

April 14, 2012, Saturday - Snow White: Old and New at Central Library

Time: 10:30am

Location: Central Library, Childrens Library, 300 Nicollet Mall

Snow White: Old and New

Preschool-grade 3. A reading of the story with special song and dance performance by costumed-characters from the local theater group Mixed Precipitation. University of Minnesota’s Northrop Concert and Lectures will be presenting Ballet Preljocaj, a contemporary interpretation of this popular Brothers Grimm tale. To receive a 15% ticket discount, put in “library” as promo code.

Sponsored by the Northrop Concerts and Lectures.

April 14, 2012, Saturday - Guest Chef: Eat More Vegetables with Tricia Cornell at Mill City Museum

Times: 12:30pm and 2:00pm

Location: Mill City Museum, 704 Second Street South

Fee: Programs included with museum admission of $11 adults, $9 seniors and college students, $6 children ages 6-17; free for MHS members.

Join food writer Tricia Cornell as she celebrates the publication of her new book, 'Eat More Vegetables: Making the Most of your Seasonal Produce' with demonstrations in the Mill City Museum Baking Lab. 'Eat More Vegetables' has 135 recipes arranged seasonally to correspond with our northern plenty, introductions to the many vegetables, fruits, and herbs stacked on farmers’ tables and in the grocery store, and tips for preparation and storage. After each demonstration, copies of Eat More Vegetables will be available for purchase. Audience members can also preview the new exhibit “Growing Strong: How Farmers Markets Nourish People, Communities and the Planet,” in the museum’s Mill Commons.

April 14, 2012, Saturday - François Rabbath in Concert at MacPhail

Time:  8:00pm

Location: MacPhail Center for Music, 501 2nd Street South

World-renowned French double-bass player, soloist, and composer François Rabbath will be in concert at MacPhail Center for Music.

Tickets - $20 for Adults; $15 for students and seniors ages 55 + To order tickets call: 612.767.5250

Co-presented by MacPhail Center for Music, McNally Smith College of Music (MSCM) and The University of Minnesota School of Music.

The importance of François Rabbath to the development of double bass playing can be compared with that of Paganini to the violin.

Born in Aleppo, Syria, François discovered the double bass at the age of 13 when one of his brothers brought an instrument home and allowed him to experiment with it. After nine years of work in Beirut, François saved enough money to move to Paris. While in Paris he began to earn his living as an accompanist for Jacque Brel, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Becaud, Michel Legrand and others. In 1963 he made his first of many solo record albums. Although never advertised or promoted, the Phillips album Bass Ball became one of the most sought after recordings of its time.From 1964 he became active composing much music for movies and the theater. At the same time he started to play solo recitals, first in France, then throughout Europe. His American debut was in Carnegie Hall in 1975.

François Rabbath's uniqueness stems from his refusal to accept any traditional limitations. Whether performing his own fascinating compositions, the music of others or the classical repertoire, one is always moved by his profound musicianship and dazzling virtuosity. You quickly discover that he brings you such a sense of security that the most difficult passages sound effortless.

April 13, 2012, Friday - Live Music at Crooked Pint

Time: 9:00pm  $5 Cover

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Tonight:  The Dollys

April 13, 2012, Friday - Mentor Series: Marlon James at The Loft

Time: 7:00pm

Location: The Loft, 1011 Washington Avenue South

Mentor Series: Marlon James
 
The Loft Mentor Series in Poetry and Creative Prose presents fiction mentor Marlon James reading from his work along with program participants Patrick Nathan (fiction) and Kaethe Schwehn (nonfiction).

Marlon James was born in Kingston, Jamaica. His first novel, John Crow’s Devil, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize and was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second novel, The Book of Night Women, received the 2010 Minnesota Book Award for Fiction. He is a professor of literature and creative writing at Macalester College and divides his time between Minnesota, New York, and Jamaica.

Patrick Nathan (fiction) is the managing editor of Xenith, a literary webzine, and the founder of Mill City Bibliophile, a blog on all things local and literary. He fell in love with literature at the University of Minnesota, where writers such as García Márquez, Saramago, and Nabokov tore him away from architecture, despite financial counseling from his family. He writes his first drafts on a 1940 LC Smith Super-Speed, which is a machine that lacks Wi-Fi.

Kaethe Schwehn (nonfiction) studied creative writing at the University of Montana and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her poems have appeared in journals such as Crazyhorse, jubilat, The New Orleans Review, and Minnesota Review. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and has been the recipient of an Academy of American Poets Prize. She lives in Northfield with her husband and daughter.

April 13, 2012, Friday - The House on Mango Street Opens at The Southern Theater

Location:  The Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Avenue South

Presented by Teatro del Pueblo and Pangea World Theater

Written by Sandra Cisneros
Adapted by Amy Ludwig
Directed by Dipankar Mukherjee

In a series of adventures a young Mexican-American girl named Esperanza bring us into her world as she becomes conscious of the dangers and contradictions of being a young woman growing up in “El Barrio.” This heart-warming family play based on Sandra Cisneros’ award winning novel, The House on Mango Street is sure to delight young and old alike.

Show Dates and Times
Friday, April 13 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 14 @ 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 15 @ 4:00 pm
Pay-What-You-Can, Wednesday, April 18 @ 7:30 pm
Thursday, April 19 @ 7:30 pm
Friday, April 20 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 21 @ 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 22 @ 4:00 pm
Thursday, April 26 @ 7:30 pm
Friday, April 27 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 28 @ 7:30 pm

Tickets: 1-800-838-3006 or through brown paper tickets.

More information at Pangea World Theater.

April 13, 2012, Friday - Spring Wine Sale and Tastings 2012 at Sorella Wine & Spirits

Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Location:  Sorella Wine & Spirits, 1010 Washington Avenue South

Tasting: 40+ Wines

Savings: 15% - 40% Off on every wine in the store.

Additional date:  Friday, April 20.

April 12, 2012, Thursday - Opening Night Party for the 2012 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival

Time: 9:30pm - Close
(Admittance to Party with Festival Opening Night Party Ticket only.  Complimentary appetizers, wine, beer and cocktail specials.)

Location: The Aster Cafe / Festival Pavilion - 125 SE Main Street
 
Featured Entertainment:  The Sunny Era
An indie rock/world fusion, three piece ensemble utilizing multiple instrumentation to take the listener from a French Cafe to the Eastern European countryside, all the while maintaining a strong indie rock foundation.  Old world music for modern times.

Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival

April 12, 2012, Thursday - Midwest Photo Safari: "Minneapolis Nights" Mill Ruins Park and the Stone Arch Bridge (Thursdays and Fridays)

Time:
This safari begins 30 minutes before local sunset (your tour confirmation will have an exact time). We meet at Mill Ruins Park on the west bank of the river. The Safari runs about 90 minutes on Thursday and Friday Nights.

Location:
This tour begins at Mill Ruins Park on the west bank of the Minneapolis riverfront.  We start by photographing  this interesting park,  then walk across the famous Stone Arch bridge to photograph the Minneapolis night skyline. We will learn the principles of low light settings on your digital SLR's or the various "scene" mode settings of your digital point and shoot camera.

More Information and Registration.

April 12, 2012, Thursday - Spring Wine Sale and Tastings 2012 at Sorella Wine & Spirits

Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Location:  Sorella Wine & Spirits, 1010 Washington Avenue South

Tasting: 40+ Wines

Savings: 15% - 40% Off on every wine in the store.

Additional dates:  Friday, April 13, and Friday, April 20.

April 11, 2012, Wednesday - Range of Motion 'Tough Enough Bootcamp' at Mill Ruins Park

Time:  6:00am - 7:00am

Location:  Mill Ruins Park parking lot at the base of the hill (free parking).

Range of Motion (ROM) Wellness

Your humpday mornings just got a little tougher.  After that the rest of the week is a cakewalk.  Join this exciting bootcamp-style class meant to make you work hard in order to improve your conditioning, gain foundational strength and power, and burn calories like nobody's business.  Group fitness classes improve your performance and give you the feedback and energy to be your best.

Pre-pay $8/session for 8 weeks ($64) or $12 for drop-in classes.  Try out the class for $5, which will be applied to your final cost if you decide to continue.

We start at the Mill City Ruins and will find fun and exciting routes and urban and natural "gym" equipment to push your body where you didn't think it could go.  This class will challenge you physically and mentally but you will always control your comfort zone and how you choose to work.  It is not meant as an introduction to exercise and it is not for the faint of heart.  However, all exercises have their modifications and you are encouraged to find your limitations and train in accordance.

Be sure to have a light snack or meal 30 minutes prior to class and bring something to eat or drink post class to stimulate metabolic recovery and prevent post-exercise low blood sugar crashes. Water and sweat towels will be provided but you are encouraged to bring a towel and/or yoga mat.

To RSVP for class, Email Jeremy at jeremy@rom-wellness.com, or call 612.205.7644.

*If you are new to exercise this will challenge you. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, chronic pain, or acute injuries please consult your physician prior to beginning a new exercise routine. During these workouts you may encounter contraindicated movements for your specific condition and should be able to decide when you should sit the exercise out or talk to me about specific modifications.

Class repeats every week until Wednesday, May 23, 2012:

Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 6:00am - 7:00am
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 6:00am - 7:00am
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - 6:00am - 7:00am
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 6:00am - 7:00am
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - 6:00am - 7:00am
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 6:00am - 7:00am

April 11, 2012, Wednesday - A Sip of Science at Aster Cafe

Time: 5:30pm

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main Street

A Sip of Science:  Geology and the Terroir of Wine Growing in Minnesota

Ever hear of Frontenac? La Crescent? Marquette?

These are Minnesota cold-hardy wine grapes, specially bred to bear full crops even after the vines experience the cold of Minnesota winters. The University of Minnesota has been in the grape-growing business since the late 1880s, and today, the University is recognized as having one of the top wine grape programs in the United States. Minnesota wines have won awards in both national and international competitions, and the Upper Mississippi Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) is now is largest appellation (region for wine growing) in the world.
 
Join glacial geologist Dr. James Cotter as he illustrates how the challenges of wine growing in the Minnesota climate are met with the development of new grape species and innovative growing practices. He will also discuss how the geologic context for wine grape growing may provide insight on the future of wine making in Minnesota.

About Dr. Cotter:

Dr. James Cotter has been a professor in the Geology Department at the University of Minnesota-Morris since 1984.  He specializes in glacial geology, authoring over 25 papers on the subject.  In 1989 he was awarded the University of Minnesota, Morse - Alumni Award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education and in 1997 he was named to the University of Minnesota Academy of Distinguished Faculty.  In 2000, Cotter received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring (PAESMEM Award).  He speaks and leads field trips regularly on the geology of wine growing and terroir. 

A SIP OF SCIENCE bridges the gap between science and culture in a setting that bridges the gap between brain and belly. Food, beer and learning are on the menu in a happy hour forum in which researchers pair with musicians, artists and storytellers to put science in context through storytelling.

April 10, 2012, Tuesday - Books & Bars Series at Aster Cafe

Times:

Social - 6:00pm dinner/drink specials
Discussion - 7:00pm-8:30pm

Location: Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main Street

Book: The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

Books & Bars isn’t your mother’s book club. We provide a unique atmosphere for a lively discussion of interesting authors, fun people, good food and drinks.

Reservations - 612-379-3138

April 10, 2012, Tuesday - Talkin' Baseball at Central Library

Time: 6:00pm –7:30pm

Location: Central Library, Pohlad Hall, 300 Nicollet Mall

Join local authors and baseball historians Stew Thornley, Dan Levitt and Tom Swift in a discussion of the history and quirks of baseball. Presented to kick off the Bank of America exhibit “Baseball: America's Game” in the Cargill Gallery.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Hennepin County Library.

April 10, 2012, Tuesday - Make This: Non-Traditional Comic Arts at Central Library

Time: 4:00pm–6:00pm

Location: Central Library, Teen Central, 300 Nicollet Mall

Make This: Non-Traditional Comic Arts

Register Online or call 612-543-8000.

Grades 7-12. Think comics are only created with pens and India ink? Think again. Explore the range of media used to create contemporary comics, including scratchboard, photocopies, collage and printmaking, and more traditional materials. No previous comic arts experience necessary.

This project is funded with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Presented in collaboration with Minnetonka Center for the Arts.